Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-04-03
Hurley, Kevin (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C033S264000, C116S02800A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209902
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment systems for mounting on a vehicle and a trailer to be hitched to the vehicle; and more particularly pertains to a new system for helping a user line up the hitch ball of a vehicle to a hitch ball receiver of a trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, vehicle hitch and tongue trailer alignment systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,384; U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,610; U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,056; U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,231; U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,732; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 270,906.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new trailer hitch and tongue alignment system for mounting on a vehicle and a trailer to be hitched to the vehicle.
The hitch mate according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of for helping a user line up the vehicles hitch ball to a trailers hitch ball receiver.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of trailer hitch and tongue alignment system now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new hitch mate construction wherein the same can be utilized for the purpose of helping a user line up the hitch ball of a vehicle to a hitch ball receiver of a vehicle.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new hitch mate which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art trailer hitch and tongue alignment system, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system for mounting on a vehicle and a trailer to be hitched to the vehicle. The system comprises a projecting apparatus for mounting on the hitch ball support of the vehicle and a target apparatus. The projecting apparatus includes a first support mount for mounting to the hitch ball support. A support post is mounted to the support mount for extending in a substantially vertical orientation when the support mount is mounted on a hitch ball support. A connector member is mounted on the support post, and a top member is mounted to the connector member in a manner such that a recess of the op member receives a light source for projecting a focused light beam.
The target apparatus is for mounting on the tongue of the trailer adjacent to the hitch ball receiver of the tongue. The target apparatus includes a second support mount for mounting to the tongue of the trailer. A pole is mounted to the second support mount. A target is provided for being illuminated by light from the projecting apparatus. The target is adapted for mounting on the pole. The target is slidably moveable along the length of the pole. The connector member may be pivoted on the support post to align the light beam from the light source with a longitudinal axis of the hitch ball support for projecting light rearwardly from the vehicle toward the targeting apparatus on the trailer.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art hitch and tongue alignment system, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system, which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system, which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system for the purpose of helping a user line up the hitch ball of a vehicle to a hitch ball receiver of a trailer.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle hitch and trailer tongue alignment system that for the purpose of helping a user line up the vehicles hitch ball to a trailer's hitch ball receiver. The retractable rod allows a user to easily line up the trailer and the hitch during the daytime without the need for a person at the back of the vehicle to guide the drive
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